OD Announces Youth Ambassador; Omar Mulla

Omar Mulla, 16 year old Oceanic Defense Youth Ambassador

Here at Oceanic Defense, we understand that to effectively communicate a lasting message about the importance of aquatic conservation, we must reach all generations and every demographic. We seek out people of all ages that have a passion for and a dedication to protect our fragile blue planet.

We have been overwhelmed by the outpouring of support from the ocean community and, most importantly, the support of young people that will inherit a suite of our environmental problems – created, primarily, by us, their elders caught up in mindless consumerism and over-consumption.

Oceanic Defense looks to the future, and we believe we are in good hands if our youth membership is any indication. For example, Omar Mulla; a 16 year old student from Daphne, Alabama, a dedicated ocean advocate, and now an Oceanic Defense Youth Ambassador.

Omar contacted Oceanic Defense a few month ago through his school’s environmental group inquiring about assistance with a shark conservation program. It was immediately clear that Omar was on a mission to protect sharks.

Shortly after meeting Omar we knew he was a member of our Aquatic Army. With his determination and our guidance, Omar went on to lead an education outreach effort in his community about 100% Catch and Release shark fishing tournaments. He reported back to us and to the shark conservation community about the Destin Shark Saturdays Tournament (currently a catch & kill format) and some of his carefully collected information was successfully presented to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission’s recent public workshop in support of increased protections for Lemon sharks. After discussions with Omar and his family, we agreed that he should be our very first Oceanic Defense Youth Ambassador.

A position of great responsibility and potential; an OD Youth Ambassador is empowered to communicate to and motivate his/her peers to encourage positive change and promote conservation.

It is with great pride that we introduce: Omar Mulla, Oceanic Defense Youth Ambassador.

OD:
What's your name, how old are you and where do you live?

OM:
My name is Omar Mulla, I am 16 years old and I live in Daphne, Alabama.

OD:
How did you get interested in ocean conservation?

OM:
Conservation has always been a passion of mine, and so has the ocean. My interest in ocean conservation really took off when I started realizing how serious the problems facing our oceans are, and how important it is that we protect what we have in every way possible. When I saw that so many environmental problems were being overlooked and ignored (while worsening), I started feeling frustration and I wanted to get up and do something about it; I decided I wasn’t going to lie down while our planet deteriorates because of ignorance, greed, and lack of education. With my decision came the realization that I as an individual have the power to do something about what I see is wrong with the way our planet is being treated.

OD:
What do your friends & school mates think of your efforts?

OM:
My friends and school mates are very supportive of my efforts, and many have looked at what I’ve done and admire that I am taking a stand for something I feel strongly about. My actions have even influenced my friends and caused them to think more about why they too should take a stand by getting involved, and many have already taken that initiative. It’s great to see fellow peers branching off of my ideas to form their own. For example, I took the lead in my school’s environmental club this year, and I began to introduce ideas such as fundraising for conservation organizations, expositions, and even more direct things like campaigning for shark conservation (which we did this year in Destin, FL). These ideas were much bigger and called for more involvement in real-world issues than what the club was used to doing. When students saw how many opportunities they had to really do something on a large scale, they started thinking and putting their own ideas into motion. It’s a great thing to see how just one person and one voice can bring about a unified effort of so many different people.

OD:
What else do you like to do?

OM:
I have a wide variety of interests aside from conservation and helping the environment. For example, another passion of mine that involves the ocean is surfing –it’s an unparalleled experience that I absolutely love. My other outdoor activities include things like kayaking (I’m a member of my school’s kayak club), cycling, and hiking. I also enjoy gardening; right now I’m planning to construct a raised vegetable garden (I’m waiting until spring) so that our household can be a little more self-sufficient. Another big hobby of mine is also designing and building radio controlled vehicles. I like to learn and practice various martial arts, and I also practice meditation and yoga. I like to cook as well and I have a great appreciation for the culinary arts. In school I have been involved in activities such as Cross Country, Chess Team, Tennis, and Science Olympiad.

OD:
Do you scuba dive?

OM:
I do not currently scuba dive, nor do I have any scuba experience. However, I would love to be able to descend into the underwater realm and I definitely want to give scuba diving a go. I’m big on the idea of achieving a unity with the ocean, and I feel like I’d be able to do just that while visiting the world beneath the waves.

OD:
If you could change anything about the way we treat the ocean what would it be?

OM:
If I could change anything about the way we treat the ocean, I would build our respect for it by changing our attitude. Many people don’t care about what happens to the ocean and don’t understand the impact of their actions. They believe that the ocean is nothing to worry about and that it can magically heal itself no matter what we do to it. The way I would put it would be to treat the ocean much like we treat ourselves. We’re careful about maintaining a healthy body –we wouldn’t want to be putting things like plastics and chemicals into our systems. Those are things that could potentially be fatal, and they are equally harmful to the ocean. We know that our bodies aren’t going to “magically heal” on their own if we treat them like that; the same is true for the oceans. If this same attitude and respect are shown for the oceans, then not only would we improve the health of our planet, but people would also have a deeper understanding of our connection with the ocean and its importance.

OD:
As a youth ambassador for Oceanic Defense what do you hope to accomplish?

OM:
As a youth ambassador, I plan to go by Oceanic Defense’s motto of “Activation through Education”. I hope to educate people in my community and elsewhere about the environmental issues our oceans are facing and why it is important that we do something about it. In addition to educating people, I want to bring these issues into a new light; I want to help people see them in a new way that will motivate them to act and do their part in ensuring the healthy survival of our planet for generations to come. I want to show people that we CAN fix these problems and that although so much destruction is going on, this doesn’t have to be the determined fate of our planet. I also want to set an example for the younger generation because they are the future. If they can feel inspired and empowered to act, then they will have so much potential behind them that bringing about a huge change will be within their reach.

OD:
What are you interested in doing once you get out of school?

OM:
When I graduate from high school, I know that I want to get into conservation on an even greater scale. For me, conservation is a passion that I want to pursue throughout my life. It’s different from a phase that I am going to drop once I get out into the “real world” because this is as real as it gets. In the most effective way possible, I hope to apply my education and experience to bettering the planet; I want to give back to the world after all it has given me.



photo by: Omar Mulla

OD:
You've been involved in shark conservation and the Destin Shark Saturdays tournament. What has surprised you the most?

OM:
While campaigning for shark conservation in Destin this year, what surprised me the most was the attitude people there had towards sharks. They saw them as nothing more than blood-thirsty killers. It may have been because I didn’t see any other conservation groups on site, but I really felt a sense of how alone we were out there amongst so many uneducated people who found entertainment in the senseless killing of such beautiful and vital creatures.


photo by: Omar Mulla

It was shocking that these people could continue blindly destroying sharks with such a negative and incorrect perception of them without any concern or thought put towards what they were actually doing. I also noticed a lot of irony; these were people that have most likely never set foot in the water with a shark or taken the time to understand them, yet they viewed sharks as monsters whose sole purpose is to kill humans.

On the contrary, anyone that actually spends time in the water knows that they are not so. For example, I see at least one shark almost every time I’m out surfing. You could ask any other surfer in the water about sharks and they’d tell you the truth about how much of a "threat" they actually are. Recently when I was out surfing before Tropical Storm Ida hit, I was amongst a group of surfers when we saw a shark within 15 yards of us just cruising along. While looking at the shark, I asked one of the guys next to me if he had seen any others that morning. He answered, “Yeah they’re always out here, but don’t worry about it man, they never bother you. Just watch out for it.” From another surfer I talked to that day: “Just because we don’t see them doesn’t mean they aren’t in the water with us.” This was something I really liked hearing. It dropped the needed dose of reality by asking why, for the millions of people that spend time in the ocean every day, there are so few shark attacks. I always enjoy talking with fellow surfers in the water because the amount of respect they have for the ocean is amazing. Destin, however, is a fishing village, and with no shark education programs or awareness campaigns in the area, the general public is not completely to blame for its lack of education or concern. For this reason, I am glad that I went out there because I was able to introduce the needed education and awareness while provoking thought in the correct manner.

OD:
What would you like to tell people your age about the ocean?

OM:
Every action has a reaction. Everything you do impacts the ocean in some way. That impact can either be positive or negative, and the choice is yours. You don’t have to be an adult to take action against the problems facing our oceans and our planet as a whole. There’s no reason to sit around and wait until you’re older to do something about the problems we’re facing right now. I don’t think education is the biggest issue with young people, especially now growing up in a world that is becoming increasingly conscious of the need to protect our environment. Instead, I think the biggest issue holding them back is the thought: “Well even if I did something, I wouldn’t make a difference.” If you take a stand as an individual and do your part, you can influence and inspire others to do the same, and that will surely make one heck of a difference. One of the most powerful tools you have is your youth. As a young person, people will respond to you better. When a bright youthful person gets up to talk about something like the importance of protecting our oceans, not only does that gather more attention, but it also provokes insight as people start to see the depth of the cause and all the different people (age groups) involved. Going back to what I was saying earlier -You can be a huge inspiration for others your age. Those that don’t feel as though they can really make a difference will be able to look at what a difference you’ve made, and will feel the motivation to act in a positive way. The power is in your hands; the choice is yours.

Talk to Omar: omar.mulla@oceanicdefense.org

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Do you know someone that should be a youth ambassador? Email us directly at: youth@oceanicdefense.org

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